In an effort to help protect well children and staff from unnecessary exposure to contagious or infectious diseases, South Carolina requires that children and staff with certain diseases and conditions stay home from school or childcare while contagious.

If your child feels too sick to go to school or has an illness that can be spread to others, please keep them home from school/childcare and call your health care provider. Consider the following:

• Does your child’s illness prevent comfortably taking part in activities?

• Does your child need more care than the staff can give without affecting the health and safety of other children or staff?

• Could other people get sick from being near your child?

• If your child has an oral temperature above 100.4 please stay home from work and school. Do not medicate with fever reducing medicine and go to school.

• If your child has had more than one episode of vomiting or diarrhea, please keep them home.

Nebulizers at school are discouraged due to the aerosol generating nature of the treatment. Parents, please discuss with your health care provider about switching to an inhaler if appropriate.

Please discuss the importance of hand washing, covering cough/sneezes, social distancing, and how it slows the spread of illnesses with your child.

SC DHEC publishes the School and Childcare Exclusion List annually. The Exclusion List explains how long ill children and staff should stay out of school/work/childcare, and what is needed before the child/student or employee is permitted to return. Please click on link below

South Carolina Code of Laws Section 63-13-20 requires schools to maintain a valid South Carolina Certificate of Immunization for all enrolled children. For more information regarding school/childcare requirements and vaccination updates please click on the link below.

The best protection from illness is prevention. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your school's nurse if you have any questions or concerns. Our goal is to keep your child safe and healthy.

Department Fax
843-899-8383

Washing hands is an important step in wellness and prevention. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) provides an educational video for children that can be viewed on the SCDHEC YouTube Channel.

WATCH VIDEO 

The "Wash Hands" video teaches children the proper technique for washing hands and why it's important to keep them clean. "Wash Hands" is a three-minute collaboration between S.C. DHEC and S.C. Educational Television. This original song was written and performed by Columbia-based singer/songwriter Danielle Howle, and it stresses this effective method of slowing the spread of colds, flu and other illnesses.